Workman s time-recorder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. G. ENGLISH.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

No. 451,721 Patented May 5,1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. O. ENGLISH.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER.

No. 451,721. Patented May 5,1891.

M @ZZZW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIN C. ENGLISH, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT L. BURNETT, OF PLAINFIEIJD, NEIV JERSEY.

WORKMANS TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,721, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed December 29, 1890. Serial No. 376,039. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. ENGLISH, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vorkmens Time-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in workmens time-registers in which provision is made for obtaininga record of the number by which each workman is designated and the time in hours and minutes when such workman entered upon or left his duties by the insertion of a key carried by the workman.

The general object to be obtained by and certain prominent features in the constructlon of my present invention are quite similar to those mentioned and shown in my pending application, Serial No. 370,043, filed November 1, 1890, the particular purpose of my present invention being to provide for making the record by the direct impulse or thrust of the key and to provide simple and efficient means for feeding the strip upon which the record is to be made.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 represents a view of the register in side elevation, the casing being shown in section. Fig. 2 represents the register in front elevation, the front of the casing being removed and the key-socket being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the key, and Fig. 4 is a face view of the key.

A represents the front, a the back, a the top, and or the bottom of the casing, which may be of any suitable shape and size. Shown in the present instance as of oblong rectangular form and having its front curved inwardly along its central portion, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The socket-piece for receiving the key is denoted by B, and is fixed in the front of the casing, preferably in the curved portion, as shown.

The key 0 is provided with a laterally-extended head 0, the edges of which are beveled, as shown at c, and provided with laterally- -projected Wings 0 which terminate back a short distance from the face of the head 0, as shown at Fig. 3. The particular structure of the key herein shown is adopted as a simple and convenient shape for indicating to the eye of the holder which side up it should be held in order to enter the key-hole in the socket-piece B, and it is obvious that it might be varied without materially interfering with its important features-namely, wings which terminate a short distance back from the face of its head and a face 0 sufficiently extended to receive thereon the character or characters denoting the number of or indicating its holder. In the present instance I have shown type representing the number 127 on the face of the key. The strip to receive the impression is led from a supply-roll (1 across the path of the key as it is projected within and through the socket-piece B, and thence to a receivingroll cl. In the present instance I have arranged the register to print an impression by means of an ink-ribbon E, which is led from a suitable supply-roll a, parallel with and slightly to the rear of the strip D, where the latter crosses the inner end of the socketpiece B, and thence to a receiving-roll e. To the rear of the ink-ribbon E and in line with the axis of the socket-piece B there is located an impression roll or pad-in the present instance a roller Fagainst the face of which the strip D and the ink-ribbon E may be pressed by an inward thrust of the key.

From the above it will be seen that when the workman, holding the key with the character or characters indicating his number attached to its end in the form of type, inserts the key through the socket-piece B and presses the strip D and ink-ribbon E into contact with the face of the roller F, there will be formed on the inner face of the strip D a print of the character or characters by which the workman holding that key is known or indicated. As the impression will be formed upon the inner side of the strip D, and as in the presentinstance I find itdesirable to Wind the printed strip upon the receiving-roll d, with its printed side hidden, it will follow that in order to read the records naturally as the strip is unrolled from the receiving-roll d the type upon the face of the key should be arranged bottom side up and in reversed order from right to left, as shown in Fig. 4. For the purpose of printing the hour and minute when the record is made simultaneously with the printing of the number or character of the workman, as hereinbefore explained, I locate type-wheels G and G, the former for printing the hour and latter the minute, so that the type denoting the hour and minute of time on said wheels will be at all times in alignment with the key-hole in the socket-piece B. To this end I find it convenient to locate the hour and minute printing Wheels G and G on an axis coincident with the axis of the impression-roller F, as shown in Fig. 2, and make them of such diameter that the face of the type projecting from their peripheries shall correspond substantially with the face of the impression-roller F.

The time mechanism, by means of which the minute-wheel G is continuously rotated and the hour-printing Wheel G rotated at intervals of one hour to bring the necessary type into alignment, is quite similar in its structure and arrangement to that shown an d. particularly described in my pending application, Serial No. 370,043, filed November 1, 1890, hereinbefore referred to.

In order that the inward thrust of the key shall press the ink-ribbon and strip to receive the record against the type on the wheels G and G to denote the hour and minute of time, I provide a yielding-plate H, (shown in the present instance as suspended from a bracket 71 so as to swing freely back and forth), the edge of which toward the axis of the key-hole overlaps the end of the wing upon one side of the key 0. The yielding piece II is sufficiently wide to cover that part of the strip D which lies opposite the type on the wheels G and G, and when swung i11- wardly by the inward thrust of the key forces the strips D and E into contact with the face of the hour and minute type at the same moment that the type on the end of the key presses the strips into contact with the roller F, and thus makes simultaneously a record of the character or number denoting the workman and the hour and minute of time. lhe opposite wing c of thekey,when the latter is-thrust inward to print the record, sets in motion the mechanism for feeding the record-strip D, as follows: A spring-actuated spur-wheel I, fixed to the axis of the receiving-roll d, meshes with a pinion k, fixed to rotate with a sp ur-wheel K, the latter being normally held against rotation by a pinion Z, carrying an arm or dog Z. A trip-lever llI is provided with a pair of diverging branches on and m, the latter provided with a hooked end m The branches on and m of the trip-lever M have their ends located in the path of the dog Z on the pinion Z, and are adapted to alternately engage it, as will hereinafter more particularly appear. The opposite arm of the trip-lever M has a loose connection m with the arm n of an operating-lever N, the opposite arm n of said operating-lever projecting across the side of the key-hole in the socket-piece B in position to engage the end of the wing o 011 the key. The arm n of the operating-lever N is held normally toward the front of the keyhole by means of a spring 11?, and when so held will rock the trip-lever M into the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the end of the branch on of the trip-lever will lie in the path of and will intercept the dog Z and prevent the wheels K and I from rotating under the impulse of the spring 71 in connection with the Wheel I, and so prevent the feeding of the strip D. W'hen, however, the arm n of the operating-lever is swung inwardly by the inward thrust of the key, it will rock the trip-lever M in to position to free the dog Z from the branch m, and the pinion Z will be thereby allowed to rotate until the dog Z is intercepted by the hooked end an of the branch m. Such movement of the pinion L will be slight and will not feed the strip D sufficiently to interfere with the proper printing; but when the key is withdrawn after the printing has been accomplished the lever N will be returned under the impulse of the spring n to its normal position, and will thereby rock the trip-lever N into its normal position,which will set free the dog Z from the branch m, and the pinion Zwill be free to revolve under the impulse of the spring 2' until it is again stopped by the branch on of the trip-lever. Such movement ofthe pinion Z, and hence of the receiving-roller,will feed the strip D along into position to receive the next succeeding record.

For the purpose of moving the ink-ribbon E from time to time to present a new surface in front of the type, I provide awheel or disk 0, fixed to rotate with the spur-wheel I, with lugs or spurs 0 at suitable intervals on its periphery in position to engage the teeth on the periphery of a wheel P, fixed 011 the axle of the ink-ribbon-receiving roll a.

It is obvious that the ink-ribbon may be dispensed with and the type employed so constructed as to impress the several characters directly upon the strip D.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, with the time-indicating type and a key provided with type upon its face to indicate its holder, of an impression device to resist the thrust of the key, a strip of material to receive the impression, means for feeding the said strip, the feeding mechanism being under the control of the key, and a movable plate supported in proximity to the strip and subject to the thrust of the key to swing the strip of material into engagement with the time-printing type, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the time-printing mechanism and the key provided with characters upon its face for indicating the holder,

of a key-socket provided with an opening for the reception of the key, an impression device for receiving the thrust of the key, a strip of material to receive the impression located between the opening in the socket and the impression device, a movable plate located at one side of the opening for the key, and a feed-operating lever located at the opposite side of the opening for the key, the said movable plate and feed-operating lever being located in position to engage the key as the latter is thrust inwardly to print, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the strip of material for receiving the impression and its receiving-roller under constant tension to draw the strip from the supply-roll, of a dog for locking and releasing the said receiving mechanism, a trip-lever having an engagement with said dog and provided with projections for alternately stopping and releasing the dog as the lever is vibrated, and an operating-lever in engagement with the trip-lever for controlling the feed of the strip to receive the impression, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the strip to receive the impression and the key for making the record, of mechanism for feeding the strip to receive the impression,said mechanism con1 prising a winding mechanism under constant tension to feed the strip, a pinion provided with a dog for locking and releasing the feed mechanism, a trip-lever adapted to engage the dog, and a spring-actuated operating -lever under the control of the key and connected with the trip-lever, the said trip-lever being adapted to engage the dog at two dilferent points, whereby the swinging of the operating-lever by the inward thrust of the key partially releases the trip-lever from the dog and the removal of the key admits of the complete release of said dog, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the strip for receiving the impression,the ink-ribbon, and the key for making the record, of mechanism for feeding the strip to receive the record under the control of the key for making the record, a disk or wheel carried by said feeding mechanism and provided at intervals on its periphery with lugs or spurs, and a toothed wheel fixed to rotate with the ink-ribbon-receiving roll, the said toothed wheel being inv Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, GEORGE BARRY. 

